New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today (Apr 8, 2004) dismissed eight criminal complaints lodged against famous painter M F Hussain for allegedly outraging religious feelings of Hindus by making nude portraits of Goddesses Durga and Saraswati.

Dismissing the complaints lodged in various States, Justice J D Kapoor said the mandatory requirement of prior sanction under Section 196 of Criminal Procedure Code to proceed against any person for such an offence has not been fulfilled.

The portraits of Goddesses Durga and Saraswati made by Hussain in 1970 were published by Hindi magazine "Vichar Mimansa" in 1996 leading to public outrage and lodging of complaints against him.

Later all the eight complaints were transferred to Delhi following a Supreme Court order. The complaints were registered against him for allegedly committing "deliberate" and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of Hindus (Section 295-A) and promoting enmity between Hindus and Muslims and disturbing religious harmony in the country by the nude paintings of goddesses.